Automatic track-gage.



No. 747,872. PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903. T. ELLIS & G. H. PURVIS. AUTOMATIC TRACK GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

A TTOHNE No. 747,872. PATENT ED DEC. 22, 1.903. T. ELLIS & G. H. PURVIS. AUTOMATIC TRACK GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1903.

N0 MODEL. SHBETS-HEBT 2.

7/4 5 i. i 1 W MN N% Q. .EII. d

INVENTORS JZaaZzZezw ZZZZZ? dew ryefffaz'zfzk" I BY I m 'uo'ams PETERS c0. PHo'ro-umou WASHINGYON. 0. c.

WITNESSES: MW 4 UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS ELLIS AND GEORGE HERNDON PURVIS, OF LESTER,

WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC TRACK-GAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,872, dated December 22, 1903.

' Application filed-May 16, 1903. Serial No. 157371. (No model.)-

To an whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, THADDEUS ELLIs and GEORGE HERNDoNPURvIsbot-h citizens of the United States, and residents of Lester, in

the county of King and State of Washington,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Track-Gages, of which the following is a full, clear,-and exact description.

The invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in an automatic gage and elevation testing mechanism for railwaytracks.

In the present invention we have especialy in contemplation as an object the provision of a mechanism of the type above referred to which may be readilyattached to the ordinary hand-car or a-track-velocipede in such manner that the exact elevation of curves of a track and the va'riations'in the distances apart of the rails composing the track may be accurately and quickly'ascertained. In other words, the exact state ofthe track, both as to gage and level, maybe observed at a glance by the operator of our machine.

To the accomplishment of the above-recited ends the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as is described in this specification, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, showing our mechanism applied to an ordinary hand-car. Fig.8 is an enlarged detail view of our improved indicator, the portions ofthe axle supporting the same being shown in section, such view being taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates an ordinary handcar or similar vehicle used for track-inspecting purposes, to which-is designed to be attached, through the medium of a connectingbar 5, our improved gage and tester.

The gaging and testing mechanism, which is more clearly-shown in Fig. 1, is composed of two supporting axle-arms a and b, each arm being formed of two tubular sections 6 6 7 7 arranged approximately at right angles and connected by ordinary. elbow-joints, such as shown at 8 and 9. The lower ends of the armsa and b are provided with outwardly-turned axle extensions 10 and 11, each being adapted to have journaled thereon flanged wheels 12,

which Wheels are adapted to run upon the rails c and d, forming the track, when the device is in use. The horizontal arms 6 and 7 a are connected to form the framework by a relatively long tubular sleeve 13,which sleeve slips over the free end portions of said arms 6 and 7 one end of said sleeve being connected with one of the arms, as shown the arm 6, through the medium of a brace-bar 14. The sleeve member 13'is provided with longitudinal slots 15, and through these slots are adapted to pass the vertically-arranged set bolts or pins 16 16, said pins also passing through the portion of the arm 7 lying within the sleeve, the construction being such that v the arm may move backward and forward easily and freelyin the sleeve portion, but will be prevented by said bolts from pulling out or being separated from the sleeve.

Inserted within the sleeve 13 and interposed between the ends of the arms o and 7, lying within said sleeve, is a heavy coiled tension-spring 17, adapted to push the movable sliding arm 7 outward when the track increases in width or gage, it being also evident that when the distance between the rails decreases the arm portion 7 a will force the spring'inward, the spring always holding the flanges of the wheels tight to the gage side of the rail. An adjustable gage 18 issecured to the sleeve 13, the adjustment of said gage being accomplished through the medium of a set-screw 19, working in the slotted portion 20 of the gage-body, an indicator-pointer 21 being fixed to the arm-section 7 directly under the gage-bar 18, so thatlevery increase and decrease of gage as the track is passed over is clearly indicated. -When the machine is placed upon a track of the correct gage that the entire track should be, the graduated plate portion of the gage-indicator is adjusted, so that the zero-point is directly over the indicator 21, whereby when the track varies in width the indicating-gage may work freely either way from 0.

Approximately centrally of the outersleevesection is secured a T-joint 22, into which is screwed or otherwise suitably secured a perpendicular bar or standard 23, said standard supporting a sector-shaped boxor casing 24, to the lower end of which is fixed asegmental dial or measuring-scale 25, said measuringscale having thereon a series of numerals running either way from 0, the zero-point being central of the dial. A heavy pendulum or hand 26 is pivoted at 27 to the upper narrowed end of the box, the head 28 of said pendulum being directly in line with the zero-mark when the track-wheels rest in the same horizontal plane or on a level. Between the lower end of the casing and the sleeve is secured a screw attachment 29, through the medium of which the dial may be adjusted, so that when the car is placed upon a level track the pendulum will stand at O, and as the car runs over curves it will indicate the exact elevation in each curve, Whether right or left, and will also indicate on tangents whether a track is level or not, and if not level will show the exact deviation.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and operation of the device will be readily apparent. If placed upon a level track and one of the proper or desired gage, the graduating gaging-bar 18 is adjusted until its zero-point registers with the indicating-pointer 21 and the pendulum of the dial points directly tothe zero-point on the measuring-segment. As the device moves over the track if such track decreases from the proper gage the amount of deviation will be indicated by the numbers to the left of the zero-mark on the gage-bar and as the gage of said, track increases the amount thereof will be indicated by the numbers on the right of the graduated bar. As the elevation of the curves in the track occur such curves will be indicated by the pendulum swinging over the measuring-dial to the right or left, as the case may be, the amount of curvature or elevation being indicated by the numbers on the segmental dial-bar.

This device will be found extremely con venient for use by engineers, trackmen, railway constructors, and the like, as it will enable an operator to travel over a considerable trackage during the course of a day andto indicate in his note-book the exact amount of variations in the level or gage of the track.

W'hile we have shown and herein described one particular embodiment of our invention, it is of course to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction shown herein, as there may be modifications and variations in certain respects without departing from the essential features of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus describedour invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a track-vehicle, of a device for, indicating the level and gage of the track, such device comprising wheelcarrying axle-arms, a sleeve connecting adjacent ends of said arms, one of such arms beinglaterally movable in said sleeve, a measuring-gage for indicating the amount of movement of the arm in the sleeve, and a measuring-dial for indicating the amount of elevation of the track, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a sectional wheeled frame, and a sleeve connecting adjacent ends of the sections, said sections having lateral movement relative to each other, a spring within the sleeve and normally pressing on the sections to force the same outward relative to each other, a supporting-bracket on the sleeve, a casing having a measuringdial thereon supported by said bracket, and an indieatingpointer pivoted to swing in said casing over the measuring-dial, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a sectional Wheeled frame, a slotted sleeve connecting the adjacent end portions of the sections and permitting lateral movement of one of said sections, tie-bolts passing through the slot in the sleeve and through the ends of the frame-sections lying within the sleeve, an adjustable measuring-gage bar carried by said sleeve, and an indicating-pointer carried by an adjacent frame-section, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a track level and gage indicating mechanism, the combination of a sectional wheeled frame, a sleeve connecting adjacent end portions of the sections, said sections having lateral movement relative to each other, a spring in the sleeve and bearing against the sections to thrust the latter relatively outward,a bracket carried by said sleeve, a standard supported in said bracket, a measuringdial for indicating the elevation or level of tracks, carried by said standard, and an adjustable measuring-scale for indicating the gage of the tracks, carried by the sleeve and one of the frame-sections.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THADDEUS ELLIS. GEORGE HERNDON PURVIS.

Witnesses:

THERON STAFFORD, A. SASSE. 

